Timeless Love
by l2b
Summary: AU and B/A. Buffy relives a century old love and murder that causes her to fall in love with a ghost. Okay this time weird summary but try it out.
1. Chapter 1

I own nothing

AU and B/A.

This is also based on a book called The House Next Door by Richie Tankersley Cusick.

For the purpose of this Willow is the most popular girl and Xander and Buffy are twins. Also Xander is the most popular guy while Buffy is semi-popular. Srry doesn't really make sense with the popularity thing and the characters don't act well…normal but I had to change it to the plot of the book. 

"Are you psychotic, Will?" Buffy demanded

"I am not. The assignment was to choose something strange or scary. So I want to write about you and Xander. It's actually perfectly logical."

"How is it logical and Xander better be the strange one? C'mon Will there is nothing strange about us."

"You can read each others' mind."

"No, we can't and I don't want to read his mind. God knows what I'll find in there."

"Not to change the subject but who are you going with to the dance?"

"One who said I was going to the dance and two you are changing the subject."

"Buffy you have to date someone eventually."

"Says you. Who are you going to the dance with?"

"Oz, of course. You know you can't wait for your dream guy."

"Says you."

"Okay, dark, mysterious, handsome heroes don't pop up everyday. Just go with Riley he's been waiting forever."

"I don't want to go with him. And I'm not going to." Buffy sat down at her desk and waited for Willow's reply.

"Now what are you doing?"

"Isn't the house next door creepy? It's like hundreds of years old and nobody ever goes in there. You know how many people say it's haunted."

"Course I know I live right next to it after all."

"Oh my god. I just saw something move."

"Stop fooling around, Will. Nothing's there."

"Turn off the light."

"What for?" Buffy asked as she did what she was told.

"Just come here."

Buffy joined Willow at the window and looked out.

"Second window, second story." 

Even as Willow finished her sentence Buffy saw eyes staring back at her from beside the old lace curtains. She could almost feel the intense gaze of those dark eyes chilling her soul. But all of a sudden they heard heavy breathing and loud footsteps.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! Oh my god not funny, Xander."

"Well, you would find it funny if you weren't staring at the Huntington house with the lights off."

"Oh no Buffy's just seeing things again."

"We saw something in one of the windows."

"Are you sure it wasn't just my headlights or the moon?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I'll be in my room when you're ready for dinner."

Buffy and Xander's mom worked the late shift at the hospital so they never ate dinner together but always breakfast together. Buffy and Xander looked nothing alike. And why every girl at Sunnydale High had a crush on him was beyond her.

"So Will who did you say Cordy was going with? You know since her boyfriend left town."

"She hasn't decided or so she says. I don't think she even wants to go."

As Xander lay in bed that night he couldn't get that old house out of his mind or more correctly Buffy's mind. Ever since they were little the twins shared a connection being able to see into each other's mind. They had thought it was normal for all brothers and sisters until they told their mom who now insisted that they were **_special_**. After awhile Xander learned how to put up a mental wall that usually kept Buffy's thoughts away from him and his thoughts away from her. But tonight nothing could stop the intense pain coming from the strength of Buffy's dream about the old house.

The next morning at breakfast the first words out of Xander's mouth were, "I hope you fail your English test."

"Why's that?" 

"You kept me up all night. And now I have a major headache."

"Buffy why'd you do that to your brother?" her mom scolded.

"It's not like I meant to. And if it helps I barely got enough sleep, too."

"So what are you two going to be doing all day."

"English test as my dear brother mentioned and a committee meeting for the winter dance."

"When's the dance and do you have dates?"

"Mom, do you have to bring that up?"

"How about you, Xander?"

"Haven't decided."

"Oh my god. You are unbelievable. Every girl in school would die to go out with you. Don't ask me why. And you haven't decided."

"I don't know."

"Why don't you ask Cordelia?"

"Are you out of your mind?"

"No, she needs a date. And she's been in love with you since like forever."

"You're crazy."

"Do you know what best friends do, Xander? They tell each other everything."

"So Cordelia has told you that she ahs been madly in love with me since the beginning of time."

"No but I'm one of her best friends. I can tell."

"Whatever. I'm out of here."

"Oh, come on, Xander, it's a good idea," his mom interjected.

"You know Buff just when I think you can't get any crazier –"

"She's liked you forever if you can't see it you're the crazy one."

Xander's jaw dropped.

"Oh by the way you just let your guard down, Romeo." (meaning mental wall that keeps Buffy from his thoughts)

"Bye, kiddies, don't kill each other."

"Hey Buff. I'll make you a deal."

"What?"

"You stay in the Huntington house for one night and I'll go with Cordelia to the dance."

"You're on."

On Friday night they left for next door with a backpack, a sleeping bag, and a cell phone.

"So you sure you gonna be all right."

"Yes."

"All right let's go."

"What?"

"I didn't think you'd actually do it. Now that we're here you're a lot farther that I thought you would be so let's go home."

"Uh uh. I made that deal and I'm gonna keep it."

"Come on Buff. I'll ask Cordy to the dance and you can sleep in your own bed tonight."

"No."

"Fine. Leave the cell phone on and call if you need anything." _She's not going to go through with this. She'll be home before 11._

"Bye."

"See you in the morning."

He left her standing in the front doorway. Once Xander was gone Buffy went outside.

"If I sleep out here he'll never know the difference but it has to be a good spot in case he comes with his friends to try to scare me."

As she looked at the shadows in the bushes she was suddenly reminded of the eyes she saw watching her in the window only two nights before. _What if it really was someone? Watching me right now from inside the house reaching out to get me. _

"Oh god," she whispered before taking off towards her house. Too bad she didn't notice the sounds of the porch boards breaking beneath her.

Buffy woke up in a cellar but winced when the pain shot through her as she tried to remember what happened. _I fell. I fell through the porch and landed here. But where's my flashlight?_ She tried to sit up but just couldn't make it and laid back down again but not before noticing a wooden flight of stairs and a young man silhouetted in lantern light. 

"Buffy, Buffy are you down here?" the man hissed.

"Xander?" _Of course it's Xander no one else knows I'm here._

"Buffy?" he repeated this time more worried.

"I…I fell."

Immediately he began to climb down the stairs towards her. He placed the lantern on the floor near her and started to inspect her injuries. Buffy had to shield her eyes from the light.

"Oh my god what has he done to you this time?" he murmured.

Finally her eyes adjusted to the light and the man raised his head. And Buffy found herself staring into deep eyes, worried eyes, sympathetic eyes, angry eyes, and most importantly the eyes that had stared back at her from behind the window the other night.


	2. Chapter 2

I own nothing.

AU and B/A.

Still from the same book.

"Where am I?"

"You must still be stunned from the fall. Well, I'm not going to take it anymore. I should have done something long ago although you told me not to. I can't stand to see you get hurt like this anymore. We can run away tonight. Your father is on a trip and will never know we're gone."

"But, Father will kill us both if he catches us."

"No worries. I know the countryside like the back of my hand and once we cross the river it won't matter what he does."

"Then we must leave now."

He took out a black box then removed a ring from it. Gently, he placed the Claddaugh ring on her ring finger.

"Oh, Angel," the words slipping effortlessly from Buffy.

Then they ran until they reached the barn 5 miles from the house.

"We can rest here."

"No, we should go further. It would be too easy for Father to find us here."

"It's all right. He should be out of town till morning. How is your leg?"

"I'll be fine as long as I have you. Promise me you'll never leave me."

"I promise."

Just then the barn doors swung open to reveal a drunk Josiah Huntington in other words Buffy's father. Before she could get away he got a firm hold on her arm.

"No, you're hurting me!"

"Let her go."

"And if I don't what are you going to do boy? Haven't you children ever heard of _honor thy father_?"

During his rant Buffy struggled free and ran to Angel and he hoisted her up on to a horse then turned to get on his own.

"Run, Buffy. Run and don't look back."

She turned to the front door ready to go but saw her father fall forward while lunging something. By the time Buffy turned around a pitchfork was deeply imbedded in Angel's chest.

"Angel, no!!!"

Her horse bucked at the noise throwing her off and stimulating the other horse. She tried to cover her head from the hooves and crawl to Angel at the same time. But now a horse knocked over a lantern causing an instant burst of flame from the dry hay. Both horses bolted for the door almost knocking Josiah down. Buffy heard his maniacal laughter as he shut the door behind. Now she was at Angel's side the pitchfork gone somehow twisted out. She soon realized that she was losing consciousness.

"Angel, my love, don't leave me now."

His gaze unfocused but then he locked eyes with her and Buffy could've sworn he smiled. Buffy heard a loud crash and pressed her face to Angel's neck but still deeply breathing in the fire and smoke. Her last hope to die before the flames reached her.

"God, no!" Then she was awake in a dark place her flashlight not a few feet from her. The events of a dream, or past life, or hallucination coming back to her. She looked to the corner where the stairs would be and waited for the footsteps to come but there were none. Now she felt the indescribable pain all through her body and felt dirt and cobwebs all over her and in her hair. _Xander better marry Cordelia for all I've been through._ She got up suddenly desperate to get out of the house. But this time when she reached the front door it wouldn't budge. That's when Buffy realized a second door hidden by the shadows. Carefully she opened it and began to explore the kitchen. Utensils hung from the ceiling. _Like a museum or better yet a mausoleum._ Again, suddenly, she took off running looking for any possible way out. An outside door became visible and Buffy almost tore it off the hinges trying to get it open. But when it did open she wasn't alone. A tall figure drew nearer and she screamed but it died in her throat.

"Jeez, Buffy, you almost scared me to death."

"I scared you! What the hell? You should be grateful I'm even alive after this. I hate you! I'll never forgive you!"

"I know Buff. _I'm sorry._"

She stopped at the unexpected apology realizing that Xander was out here in his pajamas with no shoes.

"Wait…what are you doing here?"

"I had a dream that you were in well…not you but someone who looked like you. And all these other people too. And then there was a fire and they knew they were going die. It was horrible. Then I woke up well…kinda woke up. I couldn't tell my dream from reality. And thought there was a fire here I could smell the smoke and hear the screams. And I thought that you couldn't get out so I ran straight over here. And now no fire no anything."

Buffy was getting ready to tell him about what she had gone through but Xander interrupted her.

"You're bleeding."

"Yeah, I scraped my knee."

"No, not your knee. Your hand, you must have scraped it or something."

Buffy looked down at her ring finger and a strangled cry escaped her. She was wearing a ring. To be more exact a Claddaugh ring. The ring Angel had placed on her finger before they left the house.


	3. Chapter 3

Since sum1 told me Willow doesn't seem right as popular I'm going to change it. Now Cordelia is the most popular and Willow's kinda popular. I realized it was wrong to the plot and I totally agree she doesn't fit the popular type. Yeah, and Cordelia's nice in this.

Thx to those who reviewed.

I own nothing.

AU and B/A.

"Where'd this come from?"

"Why are you asking me?"  
  
"You don't understand this can't be here. It's impossible." Gently she removed the ring from her finger but was shaking so badly she almost dropped it. Xander took it from her and Buffy sat down hard. He took the seat beside her and just stared waiting for something.

"What's going on?"

Then Buffy broke down and told him about the dream or whatever it was and how it couldn't be possible. They decided to go back to their house when she noticed how cold Xander looked. Buffy took off her jacket and gave it to him.

"Wait…where's your stuff?"

"In the cellar still. And I'm not going back for it now."

"Yeah let's get you something to eat at the house."

"So what do you think we should do? Look up some records? See if there was anything about a fire at the Huntington house."

"Yeah, maybe. There might be someone old enough to remember."

"And you call me crazy Xander. That was like a hundred years ago."  
  
"How are you so sure about the date?"

"I was wearing petticoats. What time do you think I was in?"

"Yeah, library."  
  
"All right, tomorrow. So what about Cordelia?"

"What about Cordelia?"

"_Xander Summers!!!_ I went through all that and now you tell me you don't even remember what for."

"Okay, okay. Calm down, I'll ask Cordy to the dance."

"Do it now."

"What? It's one in the morning."

"It is?"

"Yeah. What do you want to do with the ring?"

"I don't know…throw it away."

"I think you should take it back to the house and leave it there."

"You take it back. I'm not going in there again."

Then she left up the stairs not giving him a chance to answer. As Buffy sat down on her bed she couldn't get his face…_Angel's face_… out of her mind. Before now she didn't believe in ghosts much less expect to fall in love with one.

"What did you do?"

"Huh, what?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Cordelia asked again while opening the blinds.

"What are you talking about?" Buffy asked squinting against the bright sunlight, "and what time is it?"

"You know I'm never out of bed before noon on weekends. So watcha do? Sell him your soul, pay him, what?"

"What are you talking about?" The events of last night finally beginning to enter her mind.

"Stop acting like you don't know what I'm talking about!"

"But I really don't," Buffy said pausing a moment then walking out of her room down to the kitchen.

"Are you all right? You look like hell?"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. But that pretty much describes how I'm feeling. And I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Honest?" Cordelia asked a little less suspicious.

"Yes. And I'm way too tired to be playing twenty questions so just tell what you're screaming about."

"Xander called me this morning."

"Called you what?"

"Buff, come on, I'm being serious."

"And so am I."

"He asked me to the dance."

"As a _date_? That is so creepy. And you of course are considering going."

"I don't know I mean it might be a joke or he might be serious so I don't know. Do you think he's up to something?"

"Maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe'? You're supposed to be able to read his mind."  
  
"Did Will tell you that one? Cause I don't want to read his mind and it's not like I can tell everything he's thinking. Thank god."

"Maybe he's trying to make his girlfriend jealous."

"Xander doesn't have a girlfriend. I would know."

"Well he doesn't have to tell you everything. And I just don't get it. Right out of no where he calls and asks me to the dance. I mean it's just weird."

"Maybe he was just waiting for your boyfriend to be gone. I mean a lot of guys were pretty happy after he moved." 

"Oh my god. Do you think it's a pity date?"

"No. Xander's not that perceptive or sensitive."

"Yeah, but you're sensitive and perceptive. Are you sure you didn't blackmail him?"

"Why would I want you dating my jerk brother? If I was going to blackmail somebody I'm sure I'd have higher standards than him. And it's not like you have to say yes. Wait did you say yes?"

"Yeah, outta you know curiosity and to be polite."

Then they heard the front door swing open.

"Hey, Xander."

But he walked to his room barely even giving them a nod.

"Okay."

"All right now that we have this out of the way you are coming shopping with me, right?"

"I can't come. I have to go to the library."

"Yeah, but I have a really big project."

"Fine but I really hope Xander doesn't blow me off like that at the dance. I can have better conversations with myself."  
  
"And more intelligent ones."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah. I just didn't sleep well."

"Okay. What's that smell?"

"What smell?"

"That smell in your hair. I kinda smells like smoke."

"Don't know," but now her voice was shaking so badly.

"All right. Bye!"

Now Buffy climbed up the stairs to her brother's room.

"Xander!"

No answer. She opened the door and found him sprawled on his bed with headphones on. Almost tripping on a baseball bat she realized that he probably hadn't cleaned his room in years. Buffy yanked his headphones off causing him to look up at her in annoyance.

"What?"

"Where's my ring?"  
  
"What ring?"

"The one from last night."

"Why do you want it back?"  
  
"I just do. Give it to me."

"It's in that drawer," he said pointing towards his desk.

"Fine," she said walking over piles of dirty clothes to get to her destination.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting my ring."

"Let me do it you don't know where it is."

"Yes I do. It's in that drawer. And I don't think we're going to get to it."

"Why?"

"It's jammed shut."

"No it isn't. You just gotta learn how to open…it," he finished lamely staring at the mess that used to be the contents of his drawer.

"Here it is."

"Aren't you going to help?"

"You're the one who opened it." She sat on his bed and slipped the ring into her pocket before noticing a stray photograph.

"Hey Xander. What is this?" she asked as she picked it up and turned it over. Xander on the other hand didn't even notice her words. Buffy immediately recognized the photograph from last summer. It was Cordy. In a two-piece. That left little to the imagination.

"Xander, why do you have a picture of Cordelia…in a bikini." Buffy saw the telltale blush before he even turned around.

"What picture?" he asked feigning innocence while taking it from her. "I don't remember this. The next time you guys wanna trick me put it some place that I'll actually look."

"So I put that in there."

"You or Cordy. When will you guys ever grow up?"

"Sure. Library?"

"Yeah, let's go."

Buffy followed him out of the room but not before placing the picture casually under his books. 

A/N – This chapter had absolutely no point. The next one will be kinda creepy and maybe some B/A depends on how much I over-evaluate the book and go into details.


	4. Chapter 4

Immediately when Buffy entered the library she crossed towards the librarian's desk. Noticing the name plaque sitting near the front she spoke up, "Excuse me, Mr Giles. Can you help me found out some information about the Huntington house and maybe even the history of Sunnydale?"

  


Glancing up nervously the tall man in tweed stuttered as he answered the blonde girl. "Oh, of-of course. I'd be gl-glad to help." Leading over to certain section of the library he unhesitatingly pulled out ten different books. "These," he said indicating towards three of the books, "are specifically about the Huntington family. And these," he gestured to the several remaining books, "are about the earl history of Sunnydale."

  


Buffy thanked him and the man walked back over to his desk where he resumed reading a large, old book. Flipping open the first book about the Huntington family Buffy began skimming over the useless information. The Huntingtons were the richest in Sunnydale...Josiah's great-grandfather had help found the town. Halfway through the book and falling asleep already she stumbled onto a picture of the old house in all of its splendor. There was a curved driveway leading up to the porch and out in front sat a carriage. _Angel used to park the carriage everyday there for my afternoon rides._ The reminiscent caught her off guard and Buffy quickly turned the page. Another picture, a badly taken one at that, took up most of the next page. The caption only read 'Josiah Huntington, far left.' Besides that she couldn't make out any details from the picture. the rest of her books provided her with no more information than the first so she decided to wait outside for Xander to come pick her up.

  


Thankfully, only five minutes later Xander honked from the curb and Buffy got into the car. "So where did you go?" She took note that the backseat was now covered in papers and Xander had another bunch in his hands that he was staring at intently. 

  


"I stopped by the newspaper office, figured I might as well help you out. Take a look at these," he handed her the stack as he began driving.

  


Buffy quickly scanned the headlines which were mainly composed of: Local Woman Missing; Tragedy Strikes Huntington Family; Father Mourns Kidnapped Daughter. "Kidnapped daughter?" Buffy questioned quietly, glancing up at Xander for an answer.

  


"Yeah, this guy Josiah Huntington had a missing daughter. Her name was Buffy. She was seventeen years old." While Buffy took in this new piece of information Xander had pulled over and was quickly searching through the pages. "Here, look at this one."

  


It was an article on the daughter's kidnapping. Evidently Josiah Huntington was supposed to be on a trip but returning home early he went to check on his daughter. Only to find that her room had been ransacked, clothes had been torn, and blood scattered about. 

  


Buffy glanced up angrily, "So you're saying ths guy faked a kidnapping to cover up the fact that he killed his daughter. Wouldn't someone have investigated?"

  


"Not really. I mean, the fire was pretty bad so no bodies. And this guy was rich who would really want to double-cross him." When they reached there house, both couldn't help but glance over to the old house on the left. Taking the papers from her Xander pulled out a different page and set it on the kitchen table. Sitting down Buffy grabbed the paper and quickly read over it. 

  


"You see? Josiah blamed it all on this farmhand he had hired last week. The guy was dirty and hungry so he took him in as his 'god-given' duty to help the needy."

  


"Angel," Buffy quietly replied, not even bothering to read the article anymore. "So he blamed it all on Angel and because he was rich he got away with killing his own daughter." Suddenly her eyes opened wider. "God, do you think they even went back to find the bodies? Were they even buried?"

  


"I don't think so. Probably not," Xander mumbled as the realization hit him also. Two murdered bodies not even given the proper burial. 

  


"So do you think that's why I went through that last night? So people will finally nknow about this?"

  


"I don't know that either," biting his lip he continued, "did you read the date. Buff?"

  


"Yeah, this was like a hundred years ago." 

  


"No did you really read the date?" Xander noticed her confusion and continued, "The anniversary of the fire is two days from now. Taking advantage of her shocked expression, he reached over and shuffled the pages again. This time he placed a photograph on top. "A year after her death Josiah is found hanging from a ceiling beam. Most thought he was so grief stricken that he committed suicide."

  


"Grief-stricken my-" Buffy managed to mumble before being cut off by Xander. "Wait." Two more photographs. He placed them side by side. Two close-ups of two different people. The one on the left was Josiah Huntington looking very much the murderous man. Then she looked towards the photo on the right. The seventeen year old Buffy Huntington. It was amazing. This was the face she stared back at every morning as she did her makeup or fixed her hair. 

  


"It's incredible," Buffy heard a far off voice say, "She looks just like you." 


End file.
